I used stock main bolts. I only replaced the rod bolts with ARP bolts and nuts.

I'm not special y'all. I used craptons of assembly lube on every moving part of the engine when I assembled it. main bearings, rod bearings, cam, lifters... I meant that the bearings hadn't had a full revolution and the oil pump wasn't primed so it didn't have an actual film of oil in any of the bearings. Just assembly lube.

I plastiguaged the main bearings. All of the plastigauge were right at or slightly longer than the .0010" mark. I also managed to not clean of earlier assembly lube before I checked the clearance so I'm assuming that the film of assembly lube also made it read a tighter clearance than it actually was.


69 Buick Special Deluxe. Intercooled Turbo Chevy 250 @ 15psi on a stock long block. It's kinda fast.